Choosing your career is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. What you like to do, your current skills, and the new ones you can acquire all influence this decision to a large extent; career counseling can help you narrow down the field of your choices. Finances are another consideration, both what you can afford to spend on your training and what you can reasonably expect to earn. The latter factor depends on how essential your work is in the general scheme of things, what the demand is for that particular service, and how many employment opportunities are available. And all these factors in turn depend upon the size and nature of the population. The need and demand for particular goods and services gives rise to industries creating those goods and services and results in corresponding employment opportunities. Changes in population will produce changes in the economy.

Currently, service industries are showing a faster rate of growth than manufacturing industries in the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, there are going to be around 19 million new jobs in the service industries by 2014. Many of these jobs could be in Education, Healthcare, Technology, and Business Administration.

Education

With more students enrolling in regular colleges and distance learning programs, teaching jobs are on the rise and there is a growing requirement for qualified Postsecondary and Elementary School Teachers as well as Educational Administrators.

There is a rise of 32.5 percent in private educational services. Local, State, and Federal Government Educational Services will show a 10 percent, 19.6 percent, and 1.6 percent increase respectively.

Healthcare

An aging population in the United States has increased the demand for Healthcare services. In fact, the Technology and Healthcare sector account for the fastest growing industries in the United States at present. As per US Bureau of Labor almost 17 out of 20 jobs will be from these two fields by 2014.

Healthcare jobs include Physician Assistants, Medical Assistants, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Radiologists, Sonographers, Dental Hygienists, Diagnostic Technicians, Medical Scientists, Nurses, Home Health Aides, and Veterinary Technologists and Technicians.

Technology

The Technology Sector, as mentioned, is the second fastest growing work field in the United States. As per US Bureau of Labor there will be around 1.8 million jobs in this area by 2014. Computer jobs include Software Engineers, Computer Database Administrators, Network Systems Analysts, Computer System Designers, Computer System Maintenance Professionals, Data Communication Analysts, Web Developers, Desktop Publishers and Web Designers.

Business Services

Business services make up another important and fast growing industry in the United States. As per US Bureau of Labor, expected growth in this case is 28 percent and this will result in approximately 4.5 million new jobs. Jobs in this sector include retail jobs, accounting jobs, business administration jobs, and management jobs. There shall be an increase in demand for Retail Managers, General Managers, Retail Salespersons, Cashiers, Customer Service Representatives, Accountants, Finance Executives, Food Processing Workers, Food Service Workers, Chefs, Hospitality Industry Workers, Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Automotive Service Technicians, Mechanics, Machinists, General Maintenance and Repair Workers, Welders, Construction and Extraction Workers, and Childcare Workers.

Most of the jobs in the above mentioned industries require excellent, postsecondary education credentials. You can get a certification, an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, or a doctorate from a regular University or from an accredited online educational institute. In either case, financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, and loans is available for eligible students. Military Veterans can get financial aid through the Montgomery GI Bill for up to 10 years from their last term of service. Salaries are generally on a competitive scale and vary according to the career, educational credentials, work position, work location, skills, and work experience.